Life-saving apparatus.



J. L, EDLUND.

urs SAVING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE I9, 1915- 1,185,386. I Patented May 30; .1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

THE CLOLUMBIA ELANOUEAPH CO4, WASHINGTON/D. c,

J. L. EDLUND. L IFE SAVING APPARATUS.

- A l APPLICATION FILED JUNE 19. 1915? 1 185 386 v Patented May 30, 1916.

2 SHEETS SHEET 2.

' firms.

THE COLUMBIA PLANO1i LPH co., WASHINGTON, 0.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

JOHN LUDVIK EDLUND, OF CLAIRESHOLM, ALBERTA, CANADA.

LIFE-SAVING APPARATUS.

' To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN LUDVIK ED- LUND, a subject of the King ofGreat Britain, and resident of the town of Claresholm, Province of Alberta, Dominion of Canada,

have invented certain new and useful Im-- provements in Life-Saving Apparatus, of which the following is the specification.

This invention relates to life saving apparatus and the objects ofthe invention .are to facilitate escape from vessels,.to render the apparatus compact in construction and capable of being folded in the form of an ordinary grip, to supply atmospheric air to the user of the apparatus, to render the apparatus adjustable from the interior thereby dispensing with outside aid in incasing the user therein and other ob ects which Wlll be made clear hereafter and it consists essentially of the improved construction of life I saving apparatus particularly described and set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings forming'part of the same. V v

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front view of the improved apparatus, part 7 being broken away, showing the method of supporting the lower part of the same from the user. being broken away, showing the arms and legs of the apparatus folded therein when theapparatus is out of commission. Fig. 3'

is an end view, partbeing in section showing the interior of the upper part of the apparatus and the water tight joint located in the mouth thereof. Fig. 4e is a sectionalelevation of the air valve. Fig. 5 is a sectional plan of the same. Fig. 6 is a view of an alternative form of the apparatus. I

Like characters of reference refer to like parts in the several drawings. H

Referring to the drawings, A represents the improved life saver which comprises-an upper portion 1 formed substantially like a grip, a lower portion 2 formed integral therewith, such lower portion extending designed to be Specification of Letters Patent.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation part,

cated thereby forming a water tight joint, such covers belng capable of being closed and secured fromthe inside by a suitable locking device and being further provided with air valves 6 mounted on the upper face thereof. In one end of the upper portion 1 windows 7 are suitably fixed, the apparatus belng adapted to-be carried through the medium of the handle 8 which is connected at. either end to the links mounted on the cover5.v The interior of the upper Patented May 30, 1916. 9 Application filed June 19, 1915. Serial Nb. 35,100.

portion is provided with a plurality of pockets 10 and carry shoulder straps 11 mounted on the upper face of the bottom thereof.

The lower trouser shaped portion 2 is provided with suitable ballasting 12 located in the feet thereof, while from the crotch of the said trousers a water tight pocket 13 extends downwardly and terminates just above the bottom of the leg.

The air valves 6 consist of a dome shaped cover 11 having a plurality of orifices 15 in the lower end thereof, suchvdome shaped cover being provided with flanges bymeans of which it is suitably attached to the covers 5 of the upper portion 1. v

Located within the dome shaped cover 14 is. a downwardly disposed flange 16 formed substantially like an inverted frustum of a hollow cone, such flange being secured to the cover 14 concentrically located therein; De

pending from the funnel 17 near its base, is a slopingand encircling splash plate .18. It can thus be seen that any water splashed upwardly pastthe flange'16 will be downwardly directed by the. splash plate 18.

When it is found advisable to use the ap: paratus the covers 5 of the upper portion 1 are opened so permitting of the user entering the apparatus whereupon the sa1d covers are closed, the adjacent faces pressing tightly on the rubber rim 6 and being secured in this positon by means of any suitably lockingv arrangement. The user may now enter the water and will'float in a vertical position due to the air'located within the apparatus and also to the arrangement of the ballasting of the same. If it is found desirable the pockets 10 the like, while the function of the pocket 13 in the leg of the trouser portion is self evident.

-When such a device ,is out. of commission the legs and arms may be folded inwardly into the grip shape portion 1 in which pomay be packed with food stuffs, liquid; or I sition they are retained by means of a strap 19 designed to engage and fit around the bottom side of the upper said grip portion and be attached thereto by means of the female member 20 of the dome shaped fasteners which engage with the male members 4 on the lateralfaces of the grip shaped portion.

The function of the shoulder strap 11 is to support the leg shaped portion from the shoulders of the user of the apparatus, whilethe windows 7 form a suitable outlook and can be equally well utilized at night time for signaling purposes by providing the apparatus With a flashlight.

It will be evident that the user of such an apparatus can utilize his arms as a paddling means to leave the zone of danger such as is common in the foundering of a ship wherein a considerable suction is experienced within an appreciable radius of the disaster.

While the occupant of the apparatus is at all times provided with atmospheric air through the air valves 6 it will be appreciated that the baffling flange and disposition of the funnel prevent water entering the apparatus even when a high sea is running.

In Fig. 6 an alternative form of the apparatus is shown which differs from that already described only in the shape of the upper portion 1 which in this case is substantially spherical.

As many changes could be made in the above construction, and many apparently Widely different embodiments of my invention, within the scope of the claims, constructed without departing from the spirit or scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification and drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

If desired the small chamber 1 may be secured to the upper portion 1 of the life saver. The chambers 1 are filled with compressed air and serve as a buoyant support for the apparatus should the upper portion become damaged so as not to be watertight.

Also if desired the windows 7 may be unscrewed out of the opening in the sidewall of the portion 1 and a flash light inserted to be used as a signal at night or in the day time a small horn.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A life saving apparatus of the class described comprising an upper portion formed like a grip, a plurality of pockets therein, a lower portion formed like a pair of trousers integral with the. upper port-ion, a water tight pocket in one of the legs thereof and means for supplying air to the apparatus,

as and for the purpose specified.

2., A life saving apparatus of the class described comprising an upper portion formed like a grip, a lower portion formed integral therewith, male fastening members mounted on the lateral faces of the said upper portion, a band, female fastening members mounted on the ends of the said band and means for supplying air to the apparatus, as and for the purpose specified.

3. A life saving apparatus of the class described comprising an upper portion formed like a grip, covers hinged on the said upper portion, a lower portion formed integral with the said upper portion, means for rendering the apparatus Water tight when the said covers are closed and means for supplying air to the said apparatus, as and for the purpose specified.

4. A life saving apparatus of the class described comprising an upper portion formed like agrip, covers hinged on the said upper portion, a rubber rim located between the adjacent faces of the said covers, a lower portion formed integral with the said upper portion and means for supplying air to the Eaii apparatus, as and for the purpose speci- 5. A life saving apparatus of the class described comprising an upper portion formed like a grip, a lower portion formed like a pair of trousers integral with the upper portion, means for supplying air to the apparatus comprising. a dome shaped cover having orifices therethrough, a conical flange mounted therein and a funnel carried by the said conical flange, as and for the purpose specified.

6. A life preserver comprising a container portion, a leg portion forming an extension of said container portion, and an air inlet comprising a dome shaped cover perforated near its base supported from the preserver, a funnel communicating with the interior of the preserver housed thereby, and a down wardly'disposed flange carried by said cover and surrounding the neck of said funnel.

7. A life preserver comprisinga container portion, a leg portion forming an extension of said container portion, and an air inlet comprising a dome shaped cover perforated near its base supported from the preserver, a funnel communicating with the interior of the preserver housed thereby, a downwardly disposed flange carried by said cover surrounding the neck of the funnel, and a sloping and encircling splash plate depending from said funnel near its base.

JOHN LUDVIK EDLUN-D.

Witnesses:

E. PENNooK, M. EGAN.

Games of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the "Commissioner of Patents,

washingtomn. 0. 

